• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

Valdez Fly In 2020 Cancelled

jprax

FOUNDER
Hi All here is our statement on the 2020 Valdez Fly In:

The board of the Valdez Fly In has decided to postpone the 2020 event to the weekend of June 27-28. We will confirm that an event on that date will still be possible by June 1[SUP]st[/SUP]. During these unprecedented times will we need to assure that we will be able to have the event in a safe manner for all involved. We hope that our lives have returned to somewhat normal by then. When we all get through this we are going to need events like the Fly In to reconnect with friends for fun, fellowship and flying. We appreciate everyone who attends and those who are able to watch and support our event.

We would like to especially thank representatives from the FAA, The State of Alaska, The City of Valdez and numerous volunteers who have not only been willing to work with us to change the date but are enthusiastically hoping that we can host it. If you have questions you can contact us at ValdezSTOL@gmail.com. We will keep everyone appraised of our plans as we get closer to June. The board feels strongly that we want to run the event just as we have in the past. We will continue to host the premier STOL contest along with our other events and performers in a safe and professional manner. We look forward to hopefully see you all on a beautiful June weekend in the unmatched setting of Valdez.

Please feel free to contact me as well if you would like.
Joe Prax
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joe, I sure hope things are back on track by then! We are holding our breath on Johnson Creek and the Breaks. You have a much bigger production to deal with there!

Best of luck and thanks for being flexible!

sj
 
We understand the state is going to come out with guidelines for gatherings over 500 people next Tuesday. We are hopeful that we can come up with a workable plan that keeps the show largely in tact. We are looking at ways to spread out the crowd area and probably will not do the inside events. We should have an update next week. it was big news that the state fair cancelled but that takes a lot more logistics and planning than what we are doing of course and they can't spend all the money up front and then not have the event. I'm sure that was in the minds of OSH organizers as well.
Joe
 
Regrettably we have decided to cancel the event for 2020. Local requirements kept being added and an approval date appeared to be further and further away. The biggest part of a fly in is the social aspect and that would be limited under what we were having to do. We were initially told that the state would be coming out with guidelines but they punted everything to the wildest imaginations of local control. While I have lots of thoughts on how all of this is being handled the end result is added requirements on top of what we normally do to host a safe event made it almost impossible to pull of. We are bummed by this but we didn't want to do a partial event. We are looking to have the beach landing on Saturday the 27th at Hook Point on Hinchinbrook and I will get more details out about that later. Thank you everyone for the support and attendance in the past and we look forward to having you all attend in 2021. As an event organizer if you want to see events happen I suggest considering volunteering. I would bet most events on normal years stretch their organizers to the limits, adding in additional requirements on top of that is push most events past their capabilities.
 
Joe, I know what a tough decision this has likely been. Looking forward to next year!

sj
 
Joe,

Thank you for all your hard work with putting on this great event over the years. As tough as it was to make, you made the right call. Looking forward to next year.

Kurt Wien
 
Joe, it was cool to meet all you guys and the weather was stellar for the BBQ and playing at hook point. I am the guy that flew Scott over with the pacer. Look forward to doing some more flying over there soon!
 
Back
Top